Portable device for airplane landing wheels



y 3, 1948. H. s. KlTTEL 2 4 PORTABLE DEVICE FOR AIRPLANE LANDING WHEELSFiled NOV. 20, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1948'. H. s. KITTELPORTABLE DEVICE FOR AIRPLANE LANDING WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed Nov20,- 1943 bi? T 177061? 07' 170100265 ffz272Z wAA///////////// PatentedJuly 13, 1 948 Application'November 20, 1943;- Serial No. 51 1,027

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a .wheel -positioner; and is moreparticularly. described. as a portable lifting and handling device for.readily-mount.-

ing and dismoun-ting airplane landing wheels.

An important object of the invention is to provide-a .wheel andtireengaging apparatus .lfOI'xi raising, moving and tiltingwheel'assemblies as nowused for large trucks, airplanes'and the like, tomove the wheels to and from the storage posi' tion and to facilitatethemounting of the wheels upon an aeroplane and to dismount them therefrom.

A further-o'bject'of the invention is to provide a portable carrier inwhich a large tireor wheel assembly is mounted for turning from ahorizontal to an upright position with apparatus for cables'may begenerally concealed andenclose'd thereby to provide a neat'assembly andto prevent the danger of contact of the cables with the hands orclothing of an operator.

a portable wheel positioner which is generally of newand improvedconstruction and is char-f l acterized by simplicity of design as wella's ease or facility of assembly.

Other objects of the invention and various ad-f features which arehereinafter described and g} moreparticularly defined by claims at theconclusion hereof. g g ,I In 'the drawings which accompany and 'f orm apart of this specification or disclosure, andin. which like letters andnumerals. of reference.

denote corresponding parts throughout the several features; v 3

Figure 1 is a perspective of a portable devic'e for handling airplanelanding wheels in accordance with this invention with the wheel holdingstructure in a horizontal position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figure .lwith a wheel holding structure including a wheel assemblyin verticalposition g Figure 3 isa. sectional detail of the frame and liftingstructure; I

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating portions of the raisingandlifting mechanism;

Figure S. is a sectional view illustrating portions of the liftingmechanism;

Figured is a detail sectional view of the lifting" 1 structure at thepivotal mounting; and

M Figure i is a perspective of the pivotal mounting,

Inxthe; developmentoflarge trucks and airplanes, the:sizes of their.landing'wheel assem:

5 blies arese large, the wheels in many cases'at-.

t'ainingsuch huge. dimensions and .such heavy weightsthat a troublesomeproblem is presented in the handling .thereof. Complications arisebothin the movement of the wheels to and from .10 storage-and inapplying the wheels to and dismounting them from, their axles, struts, Iand other supports. Thepresent invention provides an improved iormpfportable liftingdevice which is operative to effect theready movement ofa -5 ,largewheel. assembly, and simplifies the task of mounting. anddismounting a tire or a wheel.

Incarrying .out, the invention, a tire gripping or holding assemblyengages and. supports a tire or wheelandis pivotally mounted .in amovable 20 ,supporting :frame where it is mounted for raising andlowering movement 1 Referring now more particularly to thedrawe ings, amovablesupporting platform I 'comprises atubular member. H bentsubstantially Another object of the invention is to provide 25130 au-shape'form of sizeto embrace or wheel towhich it is applied. Swivelcasters I! are positioned .oneat the. outer ends of. each of theextremities and a third. upon :a projection 3 ;-tra;l p rtion .forsupporting the frame.

Two tubular posts l4 and I are secured in uprightv position near the;outer ends of the tubular and are additionally supported by metalplates;

5 HIB welded orotherwise attachedto the lower ends of .theposts and theadjacent portion of the frame A. third uprighttubularpost I1 is mountedat the. top of the roundedportion of the frame member- I I, andcommunicates at the bottom with the interior thereof the post beingsupported byv three. short angular braces l8 extending to the sides ofthe.;frame member and rearwardly to.

5 .14 arid ,l5 is a short-sleeve section to which is attached a.projection: M having a pivot p'erforational in a downwardly extendingportion and a perforated, bracket .23 extending upwardly therefrom. Atrunnion pin 24 having a collar 25 is=inserted from theinner side of thepr0jec tion through thepivot openingZZ, a washer 26 is placedupon aprojecting end and a-cotter pin 21 is insertedthrough the trunnion pinfor-holding it in..place.

The trunnion pins.2:4 in opposite sides provide a suppbrtfor the. tiregripping-or holding assembly which includes a tubular member 28 throughwhichthe outer end of each trunnion pin extends and to which they aresecured, the

13 extending; outwardly from the rounded cen-..

semi-circular form. Two opposite pick-up clips 29 are located at theends of the tubular member .f 28 and an intermediate clip 30 is mountedat the inner end of the member and substantially 90 from each of theother two. The pick-up clip 30 is rigidly secured to the tubular membfirby welding or in any suitable manner, but theyclips i 29 are removablymounted at the ends'thereof,

Each clip 29 has opposite guide'ways 3i seems j thereto for engaging akey-block 32gsecured; 120 101 the extremity of the tubular member usethat each of the clips 29 may be slipped inwardly: 8,1331

the end of the tubular member 28 at a location,

opposite the trunnion pin. ,24 for that end? To" limit the extent ofapplication of each clip 29,

a stop plate-33 'is w'e'l'dedbrotherwise secured a the tubular member 28at a distance from tile end thereof to engage-oneof the guideways 31;Each of the clips 29 is connected to itscorre- The wheel may then beraised slightly and me v edaway inhorizontal position from other 'wheelawith which it is stored. Then, if neces- Sfl y, the wheel may be raisedto bring the hold- Iingkanchgripping assembly to such a height that itmay-be rotated 90f fto an upright vertical positionclear' o'f the groundas shown in Figure 2.

Theswheelassembly isthen moved to the locationoi the aircraft landinggear strut, and the 'level-of'the' gripping assembly is adjusted by theoperation of the lifting mechanism to bring the centermf the wheel orthe hub of the wheel assembly-into alignmentwith the axle of a truck orjof the-landing strut if it is'applied to an aeroplane." The wheelpositioner is then moved forsponding'slidable sleev'e ill'bymeans of -a-short go ward -unti'lflthe landing strut or axle projects chain section34' attached at-one" end to the'cli'p and at the other end to the sleeveso'that when the clip is" dismounted or removed from its. -engagemen'twith the tubular "membenit willnotthrough the hub of'the wheel, orthrough the-' centerof the other To free the wheel assemblyfromfthelifting device, the gripping assembly is lowered by operatingthe lifting drum untilthe' become I lost or misplaced. Thus through theg5 pick-upclips 29 are free from contact withth'e trunnion pins, thegripping or-holding assembly is rotatably mounted upon "the'sleeveswhich are slidable upon 'end -posts -I4: and-l5; -One end of a cable 35{is securedtothe bracket 23 of each mounting sleeve 20 and extends 'oyerthe pulley cannot bemisplaced or lost As soon as the-clips as mounted atthe top of itssuppo'rti'ng post and thence downwardly through the postover a pulley 31 at the bottom of the postand through a curved*portionof tubular member -H= over pul- 1eys-38-a'n'd 39 therein and around apulley 4!; up as (a p n the m u in a e d-d posit n it inhorizontalposition :or upon-= a stack of: other '1 such I wheels; theoperation-describedabove" "issubstantially reversed. In moving'a'tire'or wheel.

wardly through the tubular-post IT-"andover' a pulley ll at "thetop-thereofto an operating mechanism 42 secured adjacent the; top of thewheel: The; clipsfmay thenbe moved vertically away from their supportingstops 33 to disengage them from the key=blocks .32 since they areconnected to their sleeves by chains, th'e'clips 29 are removed,thewheel positioning device may then be "withdrawn iromuthe: mounting axleor strut leaving the -wheel'in positionvtheron. In removings-ar-lf il'ef or wheel assembly from an post, Thi Operating e ha i o i from onehorizontal position-to another; it is not drum 43 upon which the cablesfrom both sides ary-t to swing i t v r p i i n :as it are wound. "Thedrum is'mounted; upon aljshaft will-{be-substantially: retaineddntheIliftin'g-"de 44 extendin to one side'and-havin'gaerank han vicein-t'hehorizontal position-and may b raised 9- dle '45'-m'ountedthereon'with a'ratchet gear 46* or r d t ifi e t ev tionsby-t-the iftinand a spring-pressed. locking 'pawl; 4l-f r en 7 mechanism in thisposition q s H gaging the gear and holding it" in any'adjust ed ms t epost sv I 4 and I5 are- -located within positioni h the swivel casterslz -at the ends 0f the frame;-,--

The lifting cables 35- are thus shielded within d-t e post. ,I in he temounted-ton the tubular members of the frame except at "the Lfl m DJ'QQU 3, thewf a e has --great;.-' extremities thereof whichpreventshthem from stability and does not tend to tip or overturnbein'gcaught on projections during the moveme t I!) evenpunderheavyload, andregardlessofthe p0- of the device orfoulin'g' a workmansf clothing orSition onmovement of a wheelcarriedq-by the.. other objectsiwhenthelifting drum-is operated. pin /as l s nv nt -masi-be read 1 At the'u'p'e'r endcf'each of'the upright posts is i y adapt d t y typ or s of a ig ,yv s-w a cap 59 for closingftheyendand providing a neat by a changein the dimensions of tthe gripping appearing finished construction.eissemblyJ As shown Figure 2,a-tire orwheel assembly 48 is mounted inthegripping or holding-assembly in vertical or upright position within;the

framegf I n this posit-ion, the bottom of thetire strictedtto thedetails set. forth since .these. ms i'l be modified within the scope ofth nappended claims wi thout. departing fromhthe spirit and rests uponthe fixed holdingclip and the oppo e0 scope ofwthewinventiont,

site sides are engaged by the clips 29; The wheel or tire thusadapted-tobeapplied toanaxle heel in a position slightly raised fromth'eground,

In'operation, assuming the devicetobej empty', l5 inf the cables 35 andthe system of pulleysiabove de- Having, thus described .Lthe It claimasnew and desire to seizure by. Letters Pate ent ism 1 semblyupon pivotsmovably mounted upon the scribed: "The weight or the grippingassemblyis- 7o postsfa'nd means carried'bythe frame'and insuflicient tolower it by gravity -and in the'l'owering operation, the pawl 4! isreleased s by handi- When thecenter line of the gripping assembly'isinthe same plane as the center iineofthe wheelQj-j A r I V J ass'emblyin'horizontalposition;the iifting de A w ee p on n dev ce sins-1neluding flexible elementsextending through the posts and connected tothe pivot mountingsto simultaneously move said pivot mountings V to.raise and lower theassembly in the frame.

portable whfil handling device compris heel grippingassembly adapted toem; I brace substantially one-half of the wheelga U shaped frame havingupright tubular posts at the outrends thereoffmeans for mountingtheascombination a wheel gripping assembly having a curved member toembrace substantially onehalf of the periphery of a wheel, a pair ofholding clips for the ends of the member having a block and grooveconnection for slidably engaging each clip with the end of the member,means for him-- iting the insertion of the clip upon the member, andmounting means comprising pivots at the outsides of the member forraising, lowering, and turning the gripping assembly therein.

3. A wheel positioning device, comprising a wheel gripping assemblyhaving a curved memher to embrace at least one-half of the periphery ofa wheel, wheel holding clips carried by the member at the ends andintermediate the ends thereof, a pivot extending outwardly at each endof the member, a supporting frame having upright posts spaced apart toreceive the gripping assembly therebetween, sleeves movable verticallyupon the posts and each having a mounting for engaging the pivots of thegripping assembly, and means carried by the frame and including cablesextending from the tops of the posts and connected to the sleeves forraising and lowering them and the gripping assembly carried thereby.

4. A wheel positioning device, comprising a wheel gripping assemblyadapted to embrace substantially one-half of a wheel from the peripherythereof and comprising pivots at the diametrically opposite extremities,a mounting frame having upright posts spaced apart to receive thegripping assembly therebetween, sleeves slidable upon the posts havingbearings for engaging the pivots, the posts and frames being hollow withpulleys mounted therein to receive cables traversing each post andextending in the frame to a common position on the frame intermediatethe posts, the ends of the cables being connected to the pivot mountingsleeves, and a winding drum carried by the frame to which the other endsof the cables are attached for raising and lowering the sleeves and thegripping assembly.

5. A wheel positioning device, comprising in combination a wheelgripping assembly having a curved member and removable holding clipsadjacent the ends of the member to embrace substantially one-half of thewheel from the peripher thereof, a portable frame comprising a hollowcurved member with upright hollow posts near the ends communicating withthe interior of the frame member, mounting means movable on the postsfor engaging the pivots of the gripping assembly therebetween, theextremities of the frame extending beyond the posts and having wheelcasters at the ends and at a point between the ends of the frame forsupporting the gripping assembly and a wheel therein at all timeswithout overturning, an upright hollow post intermediate the ends of theframe, cables extending through the posts and the frame each connectedat one end to one of the sleeves and extending from the intermediatepost adjacent the top thereof, and winding means comprising a drumcarried by the intermediate post and a pawl engaged crank for operatingthe drum to raise and lower the wheel assembly in the frame.

6. In a wheel positioning device, a hollow tubular substantiallysemi-circular base member, a pair of hollow vertical posts connectednear the ends and communicating at the bottom with the base member,swivel casters mounted at the ends of the base member and upon arearward extension of the base member between the ends thereof, anintermediate upright hollow post mounted upon the base memberintermediate the ends thereof and communicating with the inside of thebase member, a wheel gripping assembly, and sleeves upon which it ispivoted mounted upon the two opposite posts for raising, lowering andturning movement of the wheel, a winding drum assembly mounted upon theintermediate post near the top thereof, and including a crank arm and alocking pawl and ratchet therefor, cables connected to the winding drumand each extending through the intermediate post and through the hollowbase member to one of the two opposite posts and outwardly at the end ofthe post to engage the corresponding mounting sleeve, the posts allbeing mounted inwardly with respect to the swivel casters so that awheel carried by the gripping assembly may be raised, lowered and turnedfrom horizontal to vertical position between the posts without tippingor overturning it.

'7. A wheel positioning device, comprising a wheel or tire grippingassembly adapted to engage substantially one-half of a wheel, a framecomprising a tubular curved base member and tubular vertical postscarried thereby, a winding drum assembly carried by one of the posts,slidable pivot engaging sleeves carried by two opposite posts forpivotally mounting the gripping assembly therein and raising andlowering the cables extending from the winding drum through its mountingpost and through the frame and the other mounting posts to engage thesleeves slidable upon the posts.

8. A portable wheel positioning device comprising, a wheeled carrierframe open at one side, upright posts at the ends of the frame at theopen side and an intermediate post, an assembly including a frame havingan open side and wheel or tire gripping devices at the ends of the frameat said open side, supports for said frame slidably mounted on sideposts, and means including an actuating device mounted on theintermediate post and a connection between the actuating device and saidsupports, for raising and lowering the assembly.

9. A portable wheel positioning device comprising, a wheeled carrierframe open at one side, upright posts at the ends of the frame at theopen side and an intermediate post, an assembly including a. framehaving an open side and wheel or tire gripping devices at the ends ofthe frame at the open side, pivots for the ends of the assembly frame atits open side, supports for said pivots slidably mounted on side posts,and means including a Windlass on the intermediate post of the carrierframe-and a cable connected to the slidable supports for simultaneouslyraising and lowering the assembly. I

HOWARD S. KITTEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 464,487 Allen Dec. 8, 18911,338,630 Horrocks Apr. 27, 1920 1,343,964 Dunstan June 22, 19201,349,633 Staley Aug. 17, 1920 1,484,356 Montgomery Feb. 19, 19241,519,894 Adams Dec. 16, 1924 1,797,645 Fournet Mar. 24, 1931

